broken off in the middle; heavily mutilated in its left part and along its six vertical folds. It is impossible to establish how many lines - if any - are missing between the upper and lower parts

Status

published

Library

Ann Arbor

Contents

Date

February 15, 163 A.D.

Origin

Karanis, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt

Provenance

Karanis, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt

Acquisition

24-5006E2-A

Language

Greek

Genre

Documentary

Author

Gaius Iulius Niger

Type of Text/Title of Work

Petition to an Epistrategos

Content

Petition addressed to Vedius Faustus, epistrategos of the Heptanomia, by the veteran Gaius Iulius Niger, who complains agains the fact that a certain Isidoros, son of Achillas, scribe of the superintendants of sequestred property, denied his ownership of an aroura of an olive grove which Niger had bought from the treasury.

(Lines 1-15) To his excellency Vedius Faustus, epistrategos, from Gaius Iulius Niger, a veteran, of the Osirantinoan tribe and Hermaian deme. Being a person who has honestly discharged from the army, my lord, and not being troublesome I have reached a point where satisfaction from you becomes necessary. I have in a violent way suffered an unseemingly insult from an Egyptian fellow, Isidoros, son of Achillas, scribe of the superintendants of sequestered property of the village of Karanis of the Herakleides division of the Arsinoite nome while his servant, Didymos, cooperated with him in this matter. I (now) state the matter: I happen to have bought from the treasury in year . . of the deified Aelius Antoninus out of sequestrated property one aroura of an olive grove in the neighbourhood of Psenarpsenesis in the same division formerly property of Kastor(?), son of Pekysis, and after having paid . . . drachmai for the sale so as to be confirmed as owner(?) it was then alloted to me and I pay the taxes for it. Recently, however, the afore mentioned Isidoros wanting to damage us . . .

(at least 12 lines damaged)

(Lines 26-37) . . . I am about to take refuge with you . . . the things which he committed . . . he threw away(?) the pledges and again I complained about him. And so, his criminal actions against being evident, I, a Roman, having suffered such things at the hands of an Egyptian, ask you, if it seems good to you, to order a letter to be written to the strategos of the Herakleides division of the Arsinoite nome and to have him send him here for your judgement and to hear me so that I may be able to obtain satisfaction from you and may receive your benefaction. Farewell. (2nd hand) I, Gaius Iulius Niger, have submitted the petition. Year 3, Mecheir 21. (3rd hand) If the strategos finds that an outrage has been committed, he will inform me of it. (4th hand) Hand it over.

Cataloging

Collection Access

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